Bringing Silicon Valley to Kenya: Empowering Entrepreneurs and Young Talent

As a technology entrepreneur who is passionate about the power of technology to transform society, TechWomen was a natural choice for Rosemary Ochola, a 2013 participant from Kenya. With more than 12 years of experience in business technology, Rosemary is the founder and CEO of TraceSoft Limited, a technology solutions company in Kenya. Established in 2008, TraceSoft automates business processes and supply chain operations through enterprise resource planning software, barcoding, mobile applications, and trace back systems.

Rosemary applied to the program because “the opportunity to work with a role model and receive guided exposure to Silicon Valley could not have come at a better time, given the emerging conditions for growth in Africa.” When we caught up with her shortly after the program, she told us that her experience with TechWomen made her more aware of her strengths and the opportunities around her that she had previously taken for granted.

In her own words, here are five ways Rosemary plans to leverage her learning from the TechWomen program at home:

Speak more and speak boldly: Building upon my learning about the ingredients for innovation and success in Silicon Valley, I plan to take on more speaking engagements in Kenya (at least two a month). Forums will include schools and professional conferences, with the goal of not only inspiring young talent but also creating behavior and attitude change in my society that will lead to a better ecosystem for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and celebration of young talent. Read more